


Smoking

by MeanderingMotivation



Series: The Mom Friend [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Discussions of Disordered Eating, Ignis is Mom Friend™, Ignis is practically perfect in every way, Insecure Prompto, One Shot Collection, Prompto is precious, Underage Smoking, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-02
Updated: 2017-10-02
Packaged: 2019-01-08 04:01:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12246585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeanderingMotivation/pseuds/MeanderingMotivation
Summary: Ignis has played the role of The Mom Friend™ more often than he cares to admit.ORPrompto develops a bad habit to help control his stress, preferring the taste of nicotine over eating his feelings. Ignis is not impressed. Not at all.





	Smoking

**Author's Note:**

> Ignis is totally a Mom Friend, and I can definitely picture him freaking out over Prompto picking up a bad habit :) 
> 
> I plan for this to be a collection of one-shots centered around Ignis and the other chocobros. Hope you enjoy reading this chapter! 
> 
> ALSO, this chapter has a brief discussion about unhealthy coping mechanisms. If this bothers you, please don't read ahead.

 

* * *

 

 

The Mom Friend.

That’s what they called him.

Those two snarky adolescents who spent all of their free time playing video games _opposed_ to studying or training. Those two who huddled together like conspiring children and made good-humoured jokes about Ignis’s apparent penchant for the maternal.

And how did Ignis react to these accusations?

He told them to do their homework, and eat the fruit he’d provided as a healthy snack, since Noctis refused to eat the carrot and celery sticks he had cut.  

Perhaps it was time for him to re-evaluate his methods. He was a chamberlain, Noctis’s sworn advisor and diligent caretaker. He couldn’t be acting like a coddling mother. It was undignified, and Ignis _loathed_ undignified. He prided himself on his polished composure, and impeccable manners. He didn’t want that compromised.

Still, when he saw Prompto bring a cigarette to his lips (after furtively glancing around to make sure no one was around to catch him) his ‘mom’ side came out unbidden, and he got out of the unmarked vehicle he had been driving. His usual sleek car was in the shop for upgrades to its security features, and he was driving something a little bulkier in the meantime.

The prince had requested that he pick up Prompto from his part-time job, and he had arrived a little earlier than expected, forgetting to remind Prompto about the change of car. Evidently, the teen had concluded his shift a little early, and thought he was safe from the advisor’s sharp sight.

Wrong.

**_Wrong._ **

 Before he could take a moment to calm down, Ignis was out of the car, shutting the door a little more firmly than necessary. He stalked across the road from where he had parked, and it took Prompto only a few short moments to recognise the smartly dressed advisor, who always strode with such purpose and control.

Ignis hadn’t smoothed his face into its usual courteous countenance, and he knew that whatever was displayed must have been quite frightful, as the colour leeched from Prompto’s sun-kissed skin, and he shoved his arm behind his back guiltily, vainly trying to hide the cigarette that was still lit.

However, Ignis was not about to be merciful and pretend he hadn’t seen it. Prompto had become important to them all (although it had admittedly taken him some time to trust the quirky blond and loosen his reins on Noctis) and perhaps if he were just a casual acquaintance, Ignis would make no comment, asides from a short warning to keep the foul smoke away from the prince. But with Prompto, the same teen who had been so desperate for approval, and so kind and sweet to Noctis and them all…

No. Ignis absolutely **_refused._**

“Prompto Argentum!” Ignis addressed sharply, not even realizing he was ‘full-naming’ the blond, something Noctis thought a characteristic of a ‘Mom Friend’. “What in the Astrals do you think you are doing!?” He came to a halt beside the blond with narrowed eyes, and tapped his foot impatiently as Prompto made a point of looking at the littered pavement. He gritted his teeth as the blond refused to answer, and the sound of his well-brushed and perfectly-flossed canines clicking together spurred the younger male to speak.

“Nothing!” He denied in a squeak, biting his bottom lip nervously. “J-Just waiting!” He tried to covertly drop the cigarette to the ground and squish it with his boot, but Ignis caught his hand in a lightning fast movement, tightening his grip until Prompto couldn’t move without spraining his arm.

It was a harsh action, but Ignis wasn’t about to let Prompto get away with _poisoning his body._ How could he be so _immeasurably_ -?

“Stupid.” Ignis spat, anger filling him so wholly that he felt alien in his own body. He reserved this kind of rage for special occasions, like when Noctis broke his crockery or skipped out on too many important meetings. _Never_ had he _ever_ expected to feel this level of ire in regards to Prompto. Annoyance, certainly, but never _ire. “_ You stupid boy!” He went on, and he didn’t even spare a moment for guilt as Prompto winced. The blond had never been great with receiving criticism, especially criticism given in anger. “Do you know the mortality rate for those who smoke those disgusting sticks on a daily basis? You could get cancer, or some other disease!” He used his other hand to delicately pinch the cigarette, quashing the lit-end on the wall Prompto had been leaning against. He let it drop to the ground after, despite his distaste for littering, removing his glove as if the short contact with the cigarette had sullied it. The acrid scent of tobacco lingered in the air, and Ignis yanked Prompto away, not wanting the young boy to inhale any more of the toxic smoke. Still, the scent followed them, which meant that this wasn’t the first cigarette Prompto had lit up that day. The scent was set in his uniform.

The knowledge made Ignis even more furious, and he held back from lashing out like Gladiolus might have. Instead, he led Prompto to the car by his hand, like he was a misbehaving child. Noctis himself had always professed a hate for such treatment, but Ignis didn’t presently care how Prompto must have felt about it. If the blond felt embarrassed, it was his own fault for behaving so foolishly.

“In the car.” He ordered curtly. When Prompto looked tempted to take his chances and run down the busy street, he opened the door himself, obstructing the road as the blond refused to slide in. “ ** _Now._** ” He snapped, and Prompto jumped into the back hastily. A car, which had paused in its route in response, honked loudly as Ignis leaned down to forcibly buckle the blond in.

“I-Iggy…” Prompto mumbled, cheeks red. “I can do it myself. I’m not a kid.”

Ignis didn’t pause in his aggressive caretaking. It was a coping mechanism, for him. He couldn’t count the amount of times he had used _ironing_ as a form of stress relief, despite having access to a wonderful drycleaners. “Your actions speak otherwise.” He snapped once more, jerking the seatbelt to make sure the blond was safely secured. When he was satisfied that Prompto wasn’t moving anytime soon, he withdrew and slammed the door shut, flipping the waiting car a rather rude gesture he wouldn’t dare repeat around anyone else. It was a loathsome loss of composure, but all Ignis could focus on was that horrid cigarette…

Hadn’t Prompto’s parents ever told him about the dangers of smoking? He himself had sat Noctis down when the boy hit twelve, delivering a long and detailed presentation about how the way nicotine affected the body, and how awful the suffering was if one got sick from it. Noctis had adamantly reassured him that he would never smoke, and Ignis had congratulated himself a job well done.

And of all of the people for him to catch indulging in such a filthy habit, it had to be _Prompto_? The same Prompto who couldn’t drink anything bitter, who was too scared to talk to anyone but Noctis at school, who _still slept with a chocobo plush, despite merciless teasing?_

To Ignis, it was like watching a sweet, innocent little toddler swear. _Completely_ unexpected. He’d always worried about Noctis being a bad influence on the blond, considering his slovenly habits and distaste for vegetables, but here Prompto was, the undisputed baby of the group (despite the blond’s vehement protests otherwise) **_smoking._**

He was-

“I am so disappointed in you, Prompto.” Ignis scolded, once he had sat in the driver’s seat. The majority of his anger had been replaced by disappointment and confusion, and he sighed as he started up the ignition, a headache forming as he contemplated how best to address this situation. Prompto wasn’t Noctis, and Ignis was not his guardian, which meant he had little right to scold him or punish him the way a guardian could. Yet, Prompto’s parents were hardly ever in Insomnia, and Ignis had no way to contact them to inform them of Prompto’s misbehaviour. And if he could contact them, would they even care? These were the same people who left Prompto without money to pay bills and purchase food, they probably cared little about his smoking habits…

But Ignis cared. He may not have wanted to when he first met the bubbly teen, but he did now. Prompto had become like another charge to him and Gladiolus both, and a friend, to boot. If no one was around to scold Prompto, he would have to take up the role. It wasn’t overstepping any boundaries, if there were never any lain in place to begin with. Besides, it wasn’t in Prompto’s nature to be petty or resentful. Even now, he could have taken the ability to confront Ignis, to tell him he wasn’t his guardian, but he had taken a passive role and stayed mostly silent instead. It was an indication that Ignis wasn’t making any grave errors. Certainly, Prompto’s face was twisted in misery and regret, but he wasn’t cursing or trying to leap from the moving car.

This wasn’t the time for self-doubt, Ignis knew. He would be confident and concise, just like always. Prompto deserved a little stability in his hectic life, and Ignis wouldn’t be the one to make it even more unstable by behaving uncharacteristically lenient. He would treat the boy the same way he would Noctis, and in the long-run, Prompto would thank him for it. He hoped.

“I thought you were cleverer than that.” He went on. “Smoking is very irresponsible, and will put a considerable strain on your health even before disease forms. You want to keep up with Noctis, don’t you?”

Prompto nodded his head eagerly. “Y-Yeah! Of course!”

“Then I suggest you stop this silliness and dispose of that packet in your jeans pocket.” Ignis had seen the blond sit on it when he had clambered into the car. “Honestly,” He shook his head, and proceeded with his interrogation. “I expected so much better from you, Prompto. How long have you been smoking?”

“I won’t anymore, okay?” Prompto said in a small voice, and Ignis could see the flesh ripping from his lower lip as he chewed on it ruthlessly. “I promise. It was a mistake.”

“Indeed.” Ignis agreed, but he hadn’t neglected to notice that Prompto hadn’t answered his question. It was an indication that the blond was ashamed to answer, which meant he had been smoking longer than a couple of days. Unbidden, Ignis felt a hint of anxiety. Nicotine was highly addictive, and if Prompto had already become accustomed to it, it would be harder for him to quit cold-turkey. He’d need time, and treatment, and it would be impossible to hide from Noctis, who would be _insufferable_ about the whole thing-

“A week.” Prompto replied after a tense moment.

“Why?” Ignis’s voice was gentle. A week wasn’t too awful. If he knew Prompto’s reasoning, he could prevent the blond from relapsing in the future, if he were already addicted.

Prompto shrugged. “It’s been a little stressful lately, y’know? Exams are coming up, and I’ve had to pick up extra hours at the café lately to pay the bills. And ever since I resumed training with Gladiolus after that shoulder injury, he’s been really hard on me. I mean, I _know_ why he is, but…” He trailed off, and flushed. “I must sound pathetic with my complaining…”

Ignis shook his head firmly. “Not at all.” He denied, watching as Prompto’s eyes widened with relief in the review mirror. There was moisture welling in them, and Ignis felt guilty that he’d brought the boy to tears. “You are the only civilian out of us, Prompto, and that comes with additional responsibilities we are not familiar with. Stress is a natural reaction. However, I want to know why you chose smoking as a coping mechanism…”

Was it another friend using peer-pressure? Perhaps his co-workers all did it, or maybe his parents smoked, which made the blond think it was acceptable…

Prompto mumbled something incomprehensible, and Ignis strained his ears.

Nothing.

“I’m sorry.” Ignis apologised, as he swerved expertly through traffic. He’d had many uncomfortable discussions in the car, and they never once impacted on his driving. He hadn’t taken all of those lessons from Cor when he was sixteen for nothing. “But I didn’t quite catch that. Could you please speak up?”

Prompto took a deep breath, and tried again. “…I…when I’m….” He fidgeted, and attempted to form a coherent sentence as Ignis waited patiently. “I eat when I get stressed.” He admitted, and his voice was filled with such shame that Ignis felt his heart ache for the poor boy. Prompto struggled so much with his self-esteem. “I know smoking is unhealthy, but it can’t be unhealthier than an obese body. I want to keep the weight off. I don’t wanna get big again…”

“Prompto-“ Ignis began gently, but Prompto kept talking.

“And I don’t have enough money to keep stuffing myself like a pig. Cigarettes aren’t that expensive, when you know where to look.”

Ignis raised his eyebrows. “Where to look?”

“There’s a kid at school who buys tobacco in bulk and rolls his own cigarettes. He sells them for a few gil a pack. I’ve been buying from him in the school bathroom.”

It was so cliché that Ignis almost laughed. _Almost._ He didn’t find Prompto’s health trifle enough for such a display of levity. “I see.” He intoned instead, thoughtful. It seemed he’d be contacting the school, once he managed to get the boy’s name out of Prompto at a later date. There was no point pushing now, it would be inappropriate. “And you think that the effects of smoking are less concerning than gaining a few extra pounds?” His voice wasn’t accusatory, but Prompto frowned nevertheless.

“You wouldn’t understand. You guys have always been really fit. As a kid I didn’t have enough money to eat the right kind of foods, but I’ve worked hard to lose weight and I don’t want to put it back on again just because I feel a little stressed.”

“And has smoking relieved any of your stress?” Ignis inquired. _This_ was an important question. Because if it had, getting Prompto to quit would be hellish. Could such a short term of usage cause severe reliance? Ignis wished he attended that seminar on drugs and smoking that the school had held, but he wasn’t Noctis’s mother, and the prince knew better than to get involved in any of that…

Evidently, Prompto did not.

What if Ignis hadn’t noticed, until later? Or worse, what if Prompto moved onto the harder stuff once the smoking wasn’t enough anymore, and got addicted to drugs? After all, there was a comorbidity between mental strain and drugs…

It was a terrifying prospect. Ignis hadn’t thought to feel concerned by such things, and it was a severe lack of insight on his part. A negligence. He knew, as a logical man, that beating himself up over it did nothing, but he couldn’t help but feel moronic…

And neglectful.

Oh Gods, perhaps he really _was_ The Mom Friend.

“No.” Prompto shook his head honestly. “I hate the taste, and they make me hack like an old lady with chest problems. I never get through a whole one, but I keep trying. It never gets any better, though. I don’t know how people can do it so casually…”

Ignis felt dizzying relief. Prompto wasn’t a good liar, and there was complete sincerity in his words. Prompto wasn’t reliant on the cigarettes, which meant making the blond quit would be as simple as getting him to relinquish his pack and preventing him from purchasing more. Add in a few lectures, and some discussions about healthy stress relief…

Things would be just fine.

Ignis managed to spare Prompto a smile, and it was easier than he anticipated. “I’m glad to hear that. It means we can find a better alternative for you to relieve your stress. I know it may sound hard, but everyone gets stressed occasionally, and we all find productive ways to deal with it.”

“Even you?” Prompto’s voice is filled with wonder. Ignis has never admitted such a weakness before. The advisor was the sort to never reveal anything that painted him in a, well, _human_ light. He was supposed to present an infallible front. Even the fact that he relied so heavily on coffee was a well-guarded secret, and only those Ignis trusted knew about it, despite how inconsequential the habit was.

“Even me.” Ignis divulged softly. “We can come up with something together.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.” Ignis was endeared when Prompto beamed at him sunnily, his sadness melting away as if it had never been present in the first place. The blond always seemed to recover quickly when he was upset. Still… “Prompto, your obsession with your weight…it isn’t healthy. I think we should talk about that, as well.”

“Will you tell the others?” Prompto was supremely reluctant. “Noct is already overprotective enough, I don’t want him counting how many calories I eat and forcing food down my throat…”

Ignis smiled fondly at that. Noctis had always been so distant from his peers, never connecting with anyone the same way he had with Lunafreya. But with Prompto, he was _extremely_ protective, and always enthusiastic about spending time together. Ignis was always sore-pressed to separate them. “Don’t worry, Prompto. Anything we talk about will stay between us.”

“But you’re his advisor. What if he orders you to talk?”

“Unless what we speak of is life-threatening, I will not divulge anything to Noctis. You are a part of the family now, Prompto. You deserve the same respect as everyone else.”

Prompto’s overjoyed grin had Ignis smiling wider. His sadness from earlier had passed, and although it would likely return in the future, he was glad that Ignis was there to help him through it. Like a friend. No, more than a friend.

Like a Mom. A Mom Friend.

The term didn’t seem so derisive anymore.

“That doesn’t mean you are excused from a thorough scolding, Prompto. We will be having words about this, and I will be keeping a firmer eye on you in the future.”

Yep. A Mom Friend to the core.

“Hey Iggy…thanks.”

 

* * *

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I know Ignis may seem overprotective in this fic, but I enjoy writing him that way, and I think Prompto deserves to have a concerned Mom Friend looking out for him :)
> 
> Writing this was pretty fun, so I might write more...
> 
> Please tell me what you think (if you want, no pressure guys) and if I should continue. 
> 
> Have a nice day/night wherever you are!


End file.
